This invention relates to simple handle assemblies for the end of closure members made from flexible resilient material and in a preferred embodiment including two parts, an inside handle member and an outside handle member which when joined together, provide the handle assembly.
The provision of the locking member and handle for screen closures particularly those associated with sliding glass doors and windows has presented a challenge to the designers of these types of closures. The screen adjacent to a door or window is often overlooked insofar as the hardware used to open and close the screen. There is typically very little clearance between the screen and the adjacent door so that the handle must be of minimum thickness. It cannot interfere with the movement of the door or window, and has as yet not been effectively produced. It may be secured to the screen frame by punching or notching the frame as is commonly done in the lock mechanisms of sliding doors.
Of additional significance is the fact that the screen door or window constitutes a relatively low priced item and the handle and latch mechanism, although it must meet all of the foregoing requirements, must also be of minimum cost and high degree of reliability.
Within the prior art there exists U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,299 issued in 1981 to Kelly for a simple handle for a sliding screen. There also exists U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,862 to Fleming for a latching and locking mechanism for sliding doors. The present invention much simplifies the structure of Fleming and improves over the structure of Kelly by providing an inside and an outside handle member which interfit and interact to release a latch finger from a compatible latch part.
Nowhere within the prior art is such a simplified improved handle assembly provided which is operable to release the latch from both the inside and the outside.
It is therefore an object of this invention to overcome many of the deficiencies in the prior art stated above which allows for reliable yet simple operation of a handle member which is capable of operating both from the inside and the outside.
It is therefore another object of this invention to overcome many of the deficiencies in the prior art stated above which allows for reliable yet simple operation of a handle assembly for a retractable screen assembly operable from the exterior and the interior.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide an inexpensive handle assembly for a moveable closure member.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a handle assembly which facilitates ease of manufacture, and replacement.
Further and other objects of this invention will become apparent to a man skilled in the art when considering the following summary of the invention and the more detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated herein.
We have invented a simple, low-cost handle, latch and release mechanism for moveable closures such as sliding windows, screen doors and similar closures such as roll-up screens. The handle mechanism requires providing two holes into the retaining frame for securing screws only to be mounted thereto.
According to a primary aspect of the invention there is provided a handle for a movable closure such as a screen having at least one edge frame preferably for retaining a screen cloth, abutting engagement with the said closure being moveable into engagement with a framing structure therefor;
said handle comprising a first inside flexible member and a second outside flexible member each having a mounting portion for mounting to said at least one edge frame, said mounting portions and preferably said first and second members extending in a direction substantially normal to the direction in which the closure moves, said first inside flexible member and second outside flexible member for inter-fitting with one another to provide said handle, said first inside flexible member including, a first abutting part including a bearing surface for abutment with said second outside flexible member, and a resilient latch finger formed integrally therewith and extending from the plane of the first inside flexible member so as to engage in a latching relationship with a latch portion provided with said structure, said resilient latch finger being deflectable generally towards and away from the plane of the closure to allow it to engage with said latch portion, said second outside flexible member including a second abutting part having a bearing surface (for example a bull-nose end) for abutment with the first bearing surface of said first inside flexible member, wherein when said first inside flexible member is flexed in a first direction the resilient latch finger will be placed in a position to engage/disengage said latch portion, and wherein when said second outside flexible member is flexed in said first direction said second bearing surface of said second abutting part thereof will engage said first bearing surface of said first abutting part of said first inside flexible member thereby causing said first inside flexible member to flex in said first direction placing said the resilient latch finger in a position to engage/disengage said latch portion, thereby providing a simple inside and outside latch release for said closure.
According to a preferred aspect of the invention there is provided a closure assembly comprising a moveable screen accumulating on and paying out from a spring biased roll, the closure assembly having a latch portion on a frame portion thereof for engagement with a screen handle,
said screen handle further comprising a first inside flexible member and a second outside flexible member each having a mounting portion for mounting to said at least one edge frame, said mounting portions and preferably said first and second members extending in a direction substantially normal to the direction in which the closure moves, said first inside flexible member and second outside flexible member for inter-fitting with one another to provide said handle, said first inside flexible member including, a first abutting part including a bearing surface for abutment with said second outside flexible member, and a resilient latch finger formed integrally therewith and extending from the plane of the first inside flexible member so as to engage in a latching relationship with a latch portion provided with said structure, said resilient latch finger being deflectable generally towards and away from the plane of the closure to allow it to engage with said latch portion, said second outside flexible member including a second abutting part having a bearing surface (for example a bull-nose end) for abutment with the first bearing surface of said first inside flexible member, wherein when said first inside flexible member is flexed in a first direction the resilient latch finger will be placed in a position to engage/disengage said latch portion, and wherein when said second outside flexible member is flexed in said first direction said second bearing surface of said second abutting part thereof will engage said first bearing surface of said first abutting part of said first inside flexible member thereby causing said first inside flexible member to flex in said first direction placing said the resilient latch finger in a position to engage/disengage said latch portion, thereby providing a simple inside and outside latch release for said closure.
Preferably each of said inside and outside members includes an integral portion defining a hand grip. In a preferred embodiment said mounting portions for each of said inside and outside members includes flanges having integral screw ports which inter-fit to mount to said edge frame. It is preferred that said handle is made from acetal or the like and preferably that a low friction material be used. In another embodiment a gap is provided between said abutting part and said mounting part. Preferably a flexing section is provided between said handle grip and said abutting part for each of said inside and outside members. It is preferred that said abutting part includes a bull-nose end or the like therewith to provide levering action. In one embodiment the first and second flexible members are formed as one part.
It is important that the mounting parts be provided with a flex zone, while the abutting parts remain rigid with the handle portions. This is accomplished by varying the thickness of the material thereat.